30 NFL stars who could retire after the 2024 season

10. Trent Williams, San Francisco 49ers

There is a huge domino effect if the San Francisco 49ers win the Super Bowl, and there is a non-zero chance that one of those impacts is the end of one of the best offensive linemen to ever play this game. Trent Williams might be the best trade acquisition ever, giving the 49ers at least five great seasons at left tackle. 

Despite the Rolodex of quarterbacks, Williams gives whoever is under center ample time to make a decision, which is a huge reason why they’ve all been so successful. Many analysts give credit to Kyle Shanahan’s system, but having the best offensive tackle in the game protecting you makes life much easier.

So why would Williams retire? He has two more seasons on his deal after this one. He gets paid a ton (north of $34 million in 2025). It would save the 49ers more than $20 million, but we doubt they care about that. They’d obviously much rather have Williams’ services. 

The thing here is Williams is 36 years old. That’s not young, but as we saw with Peters, when there’s serious money on the line, it helps players stay motivated late into their careers. When a player is at this level, they usually can hold on for much longer. Williams is going to waltz into the Hall of Fame when his career is done, and there is a small chance that career ends after this season.